Preview — The Founding
by Dan Abnett

This omnibus edition of the first three Gaunt's Ghosts novels follows the story of the Tanith First-and-Only regiment (nicknamed the Ghosts) and their charismatic commissar, Ibram Gaunt. As they travel from warzone to warzone in the Chaos-infested Sabbat Worlds system, the Ghosts must not only carry out the most dangerous of missions but also survive the deady politics ofThis omnibus edition of the first three Gaunt's Ghosts novels follows the story of the Tanith First-and-Only regiment (nicknamed the Ghosts) and their charismatic commissar, Ibram Gaunt. As they travel from warzone to warzone in the Chaos-infested Sabbat Worlds system, the Ghosts must not only carry out the most dangerous of missions but also survive the deady politics of the Imperial Guard....more

Community Reviews

I read this book not as a warhammer fan, but as a spouse to one. Keep that in mind as you read this review.[return][return]Gaunt's Ghosts, for those unfamiliar is about a regiment of Imperial Guard, led by a colonel commissar. What makes this band special is that the night they were commissioned, their commander saved them from the destruction of their homeworld. Viewed as homeless, barbaric and useless, this band is the underdog, striving through each war to win a new planet for themselves, usuI read this book not as a warhammer fan, but as a spouse to one. Keep that in mind as you read this review.[return][return]Gaunt's Ghosts, for those unfamiliar is about a regiment of Imperial Guard, led by a colonel commissar. What makes this band special is that the night they were commissioned, their commander saved them from the destruction of their homeworld. Viewed as homeless, barbaric and useless, this band is the underdog, striving through each war to win a new planet for themselves, usually undercut by dirty handed politics.[return][return]The first book had a good plot, but characterization was weak. Abnett developed rivalries that lasted through the entire omnibus, and I assume into the following ones. The history of the Ghosts was hinted at, briefly explained, but characterization was weak.[return][return]The second book brought the characterization deeply needed in the first book, but was composed mainly of flashbacks, finally detailing the death of Tanith, and the major 8 or 9 characters got their own chapters detailing their strengths and weaknesses. However, once the flashbacks ended, it took a couple of pages to realize there was a present tense to the story in the last few chapters.[return][return]The third book had a good mesh of characterization and plot, though suffered from starting 30 pages too early. While not spoiling anything, Abnett gave five or six secondary characters two chapters to be introduced, while explaining their planet was under attack.[return][return]The ending story was a nice way to end the book, with a remembrance for the characters, so rarely thanked for their work....more

Warmaster Slaydo is dead. The man wrangled as many different bureaucracies, and herded as many cats as he could, in order to raise a crusade to take back the Sabbat Worlds from the forces of Chaos. He slew the Archenemy @ Balhaut, but was mortally wounded in the process. As he lay dying, Slaydo promoted one of his favorite subordinates, Ibram Gaunt, and ordered him to raise an Imperial Guard unit of his own. What should've been a mopping up action @ Balhaut was bungled by the new warmaster, MacaWarmaster Slaydo is dead. The man wrangled as many different bureaucracies, and herded as many cats as he could, in order to raise a crusade to take back the Sabbat Worlds from the forces of Chaos. He slew the Archenemy @ Balhaut, but was mortally wounded in the process. As he lay dying, Slaydo promoted one of his favorite subordinates, Ibram Gaunt, and ordered him to raise an Imperial Guard unit of his own. What should've been a mopping up action @ Balhaut was bungled by the new warmaster, Macaroth, and the Chaos fleets escaped.

Every settled planet in the Imperium of Man is subject to the Imperial tithe: as many able-bodied men as that planet can provide to feed the meat grinder of The Emperor's wars. Gaunt arrived on the planet Tanith to review his new troops at about the same time as the Chaos forces, on their way to safety, passed by Tanith and burned the planet to cinders. Barely half the new Imperial Guard unit escaped. There were no other survivors. Gaunt's new unit was christened the Tanith First and Only.

The collection is composed of 3 books and 1 short story:

* First and Only - Supposedly this is the first novel Dan Abnett ever wrote, which is of course not true, and it's an easy lie to spot: no one's first book could possibly be this good.

* Ghostmaker - an introduction to each of the main characters, interspersed between the interminable waiting before a major campaign. Yes, all the characters appear for the first time in the first book (dur), but this is where we actually meet them.

* Necropolis - The word means "city of the dead". I expected this to be about Necrons. I was oh so very wrong.

* In Remembrance - This takes place roughly around the the time the story in Necropolis is drawing to a close. Given how unrelentingly intense Necropolis was, this is a good way to unclench and bring down the reader's adrenaline levels in a controlled fashion. Including this in the omnibus was a very smart choice.

If you or someone you love enjoys war stories, then this is the perfect book for you. It's like Band of Brothers on steroids. I cannot recommend it enough....more

First & Only was the book that got me interested in writing in general and sci-fi particularly. It was an amazing (and brilliantly graphic) portrayal of war in a sci-fi setting. I absolutely loved Colm Corbec, and the fight through the tunnels underneath Menazoid Epsilon was incredibly harrowing and nerve-wracking, even now after having read it twenty times! Ghostmaker was just as superb, collecting the original awesome short stories together; my personal favourite is the original "pilot" stFirst & Only was the book that got me interested in writing in general and sci-fi particularly. It was an amazing (and brilliantly graphic) portrayal of war in a sci-fi setting. I absolutely loved Colm Corbec, and the fight through the tunnels underneath Menazoid Epsilon was incredibly harrowing and nerve-wracking, even now after having read it twenty times! Ghostmaker was just as superb, collecting the original awesome short stories together; my personal favourite is the original "pilot" story with the destruction of Tanith. And of course, we come to Necropolis. This has to be my favourite novel of all time (seriously), for several reasons: one, it's the first novel-length warzone the ghosts have been in; second, the sheer scope of the war to defend Vervunhive is absolutely insane; third, like Richard Sharpe before him, Gaunt finally shows everybody the commander we as the reader know him to be (and the comeuppance for Gaunt's version of Sir Henry Simmerson); finally, some of the most amazing action sequences I've ever read in a book, or seen in a movie!...more

06/04/10: Finished "First and Only" number 1 of the 3 books in this Omnibus.

Dan Abnett writes some good action scenes; although some of the actual warfare, weapons and tactics seem a bit out of place in a SF setting (it opens with a set piece that's more or less out of WW I trench warfare, complete with poison gas...)

Very little about the Warhammer 40K background, setting and tech level is explained - which mostly doesn't matter to the story, but is a bit frustrating as a Warhammer uninitiated r06/04/10: Finished "First and Only" number 1 of the 3 books in this Omnibus.

Dan Abnett writes some good action scenes; although some of the actual warfare, weapons and tactics seem a bit out of place in a SF setting (it opens with a set piece that's more or less out of WW I trench warfare, complete with poison gas...)

Very little about the Warhammer 40K background, setting and tech level is explained - which mostly doesn't matter to the story, but is a bit frustrating as a Warhammer uninitiated reader.

So far the characters seem a fairly standard Mil-SF lot, including the honourable, commander who cares for his men...

If I had bought this as a standalone book I’d probably be 50/50 about buying then next one (so 2-3 stars rating range).

12/04/10: Finished "Ghostmaker" the 2nd book - a series of short "memories" that showcases each of the core Ghosts wrapped in a linking framework story that ends in a confusing meeting with some Eldar (whatever they are...)

Mostly it seemed like a bunch of contextless action sequences who's main aim was to invent new and gorier ways for those around the main cast to explode into sprays of shattered organs...

The actual writing isn't bad - its just that this book is all action and no plot at all - the 1st book at least had the "rogue" general plot going on.

In stand alone mode: 2 stars and very little chance i'd ever pick up the next one.

28/04/10: Realised I have no desire at all to read the third book in this omnibus - maybe at some, much, later date....more

This series of which I have read 17 novels regards the exploits of a military officer in the far future. He attempts to hold together the last remains of the population of a ravaged world, honing them as a military force and forwarding the constant fight against the enemies of man kind. The setting of this series deviates from both reality and other fiction novels so much that its full description could take an hour or more. Needless to say I found the complexity of the world to be delightful anThis series of which I have read 17 novels regards the exploits of a military officer in the far future. He attempts to hold together the last remains of the population of a ravaged world, honing them as a military force and forwarding the constant fight against the enemies of man kind. The setting of this series deviates from both reality and other fiction novels so much that its full description could take an hour or more. Needless to say I found the complexity of the world to be delightful and enjoyed this series for its pure entertainment value, which was greater than that of any other book I've read. The depth of character development and powerful descriptive techniques involved in the creation of scenes made these books mirror life of a soldier in a way that reportedly has left many military veterans astounded that the author, Dan Abnett, has not seen battle himself. This series introduces thought provoking questions in a much less obvious way. They are seeded into the setting, the plot, and the words of characters in a way that may not fully sink in until you've read the novels several times, which I did, for all 17. The value of individual human lives in the face of the greater goals of humanity is repeatedly questioned. Also the question of how to rebuke Evil within yourself, which would seek to bring out the worst in you, is ever present due to the nature of man's greatest enemy. Needless to say these books are not lacking in philosophy. They are just great, if a little hard to get used to at first....more

If you are a Warhammer 40k fan, then basically anythig Dan Abnett writes should be automatically added to your library. Gaunt's Ghosts, in particular, is an excellent series, better than any other in Warhammer, from my point of view. When it comes to fiction, I have come to be in the habbit of judging extended series based on how many characters from it I remember the names and personalities of-in short, how many the author makes me give a damn about. For this.....the list is enormous. By the o

If you are a Warhammer 40k fan, then basically anythig Dan Abnett writes should be automatically added to your library. Gaunt's Ghosts, in particular, is an excellent series, better than any other in Warhammer, from my point of view. When it comes to fiction, I have come to be in the habbit of judging extended series based on how many characters from it I remember the names and personalities of-in short, how many the author makes me give a damn about. For this.....the list is enormous. By the omnibus, and the ones that follow it-if you like Warhammer, or SF in general, you won't be dissappointed....more

I'm gonna review this one as whole, so I don't have to go and click for all the 3 books from the founding. First and Third books are masterpiece. Necropolis is my second favorite book in the series, second only to Traitor General - which is from The Lost series.

Intense, vivid, detailed, pure-play, big on story structure. Characters, ensemble, three books together, great map. Dense words, not one wasted. Memorable. Mozart effect. I got smarter, and out of breath. I had the best time! Next!

This is a omnibus containing three Gaunt's Ghosts novels, Gaunt himself being a Commissar in the 40k universe. These took me a while to get through, and I'm going to cover them one by one.

First and Only: According to the introduction, at one point this was the best-selling book published by Black Library. I get the sense this book came out quite early in the Black Library's run, or at least in Abnett's career, as it's marred by some weird issues - The Guard is all male, Chaos Space Marines are kThis is a omnibus containing three Gaunt's Ghosts novels, Gaunt himself being a Commissar in the 40k universe. These took me a while to get through, and I'm going to cover them one by one.

First and Only: According to the introduction, at one point this was the best-selling book published by Black Library. I get the sense this book came out quite early in the Black Library's run, or at least in Abnett's career, as it's marred by some weird issues - The Guard is all male, Chaos Space Marines are killed with single shots from a Guardsman's laser rifle (!!), and there's a deformed psyker commissar (!!!!).There's also just weird careless details: Gaunt's bolt pistol becomes a laspistol becomes a lasgun becomes a boltgun. On top of that, some of the writing is, put charitably, clumsy (I laughed out loud at a character's reaction when he realizes he's just been decapitated: "Only when his headless body fell onto the deck next to him he realized that... his head... cut... bastard... no.")So with all that, is this book worth reading? Well, it's not bad, but the above mentioned issues make it rather difficult to recommend. I'd probably only suggest this book if you either love military action novels or are looking for a friendly introduction to the 40k universe. Otherwise, it's perfectly serviceable, but I can't really recommend going too far out of your way to track it down.

Ghostmaker: This is a short story collection that meanders around giving different Ghosts some time in the spotlight. I applaud the idea - up until now they've basically been cardboard cut-outs whose personality is no more fleshed out than "medic", "scout", "heavy weapons guy". In fact, the Ghosts themselves have less personality than the Team Fortress 2 characters who are literally named Medic, Scout, and Heavy Weapons Guy. So giving them some personality is a very welcome idea, but the actual execution unfortunately sinks the entire enterprise. What do we learn from a spotlight on Mkoll, the silently-moving scout? Turns out he's a scout, and that he can move silently. The author seems either unwilling or unable to flesh out characters beyond these small details; If they're good, they're tough, blue-collar, gritty heroes, and if they're bad, they're either deformed chaos monsters or blue-blooded elitists sipping coffee while our heroic, blue-collar, gritty heroes get the job done heroically and grittily. Maybe I've been spoiled by other w40k novels, I don't know.

Necropolis: I was hoping that these novels would improve with time as Abnett became more familiar and comfortable with the setting he's working in, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. Although the writing does improve a little bit in this book, it's still full of distracting, careless errors. On page 669, a character is Trygg in the first paragraph and Trugg in the second. A character is hit by a lasrifle shot and bleeds out in a matter of minutes, even though the author has pointed out numerous times that lasrifle wounds are self-cauterized because of the weapon's heat. Someone is shot with a bolt, but lives because he's wearing a steel rose on his shirt. This is dumb and cheesy enough as it is, but is nonsensical because a "bolt" is basically a rocket-propelled explosive; one might as easily expect to survive a direct hit from a rocket-propelled grenade because you have a steel plate in your chest pocket. You would either be a mess on the floor or have had his steel rose punched straight through your body. Oh, and people also use "gak" as a swear word, and all I could think of was Nickelodeon Gak. In short, this is not a good book. Some of the military action is exciting, but combined with Abnett's carelessness, lame characters, and annoying habit of cutting away from the actual important parts of the book to follow needless sideplots that don't go anywhere, this is a slog far more often than it is an engaging story.

So in sum, I can't really recommend this omnibus at all. Even if you're looking to dip your toe in 40k, I'd suggest the much better Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium which not only actually gets the details right, but is actually, you know, enjoyable to read. ...more

So, here I am back to the world of Warhammer 40K. This time, my victims were the Imperial Guard sweethearts: Gaunts' Ghosts.

In an overall, Dan Abnett is a great amazing writer. I'm not a fan of eternal battles but Dan puts into his writing humanity. And that, I confess, saves the day. He doesn't describe a battle to the boring detail of how many soldiers go to the front, how many bullets are lost, how many tanks go meeting their creator. No. Dan writes about people, for people. You feel what theSo, here I am back to the world of Warhammer 40K. This time, my victims were the Imperial Guard sweethearts: Gaunts' Ghosts.

In an overall, Dan Abnett is a great amazing writer. I'm not a fan of eternal battles but Dan puts into his writing humanity. And that, I confess, saves the day. He doesn't describe a battle to the boring detail of how many soldiers go to the front, how many bullets are lost, how many tanks go meeting their creator. No. Dan writes about people, for people. You feel what the character feels. That, for me, was enough to finish reading.

So, now each book... The Founding have "three books" and a short story. To be precise, the first three Gaunt's Ghosts novels. And it follows the story of the Tanith First-and-Only regiment, specialits in scout and recon, (nicknamed the Ghosts) and their charismatic commissar, Ibram Gaunt.

‘First and Only’

The first (and definitly not the only) contact with the regiments of Tanith is a hard blow. In a series of pages, in the Sabbat worlds, infested by Chaos forces, one encounters the charismatic characters from the regiment Tanith first-and-only and their sad story. Throughout the book, we are taken back and forth in time, as characters remember the founding of the regiment and Gaunt remembers his past, while still a child and teenager and, afterwards, as a young commissar-in-training with the commissar-general Delane Oktar. A book that covers a battle long lost against the past while facing chaos forces in the Sabbat worlds. And tells you the foundation of character interaction and personality. To a point that the battle and the reason for it are quite secoundary facing the history of these brave soldiers and how they came to be.

‘Ghostmaker’

Ghostmaker brings us to a battle a earlier than the one described in 'First and Only'. During the waiting for the heat and death on the field, the reader is taken to several small tales, insights of a selective group of Ghosts. In the middle of each tale, a insight on the waiting. The pace of the book is very pleasant. One keeps reading to search the insight of the next character. And when we notice, we are almost at the end of the book. Yet, the battle (finally) takes place and we can percieve who is the mysterious force behind the calling of the chaos forces in the planet. And what that force can do to our Tanith boys. This one was, and still is to the moment, one of my favourite books of this series.

'Necropolis'

It was hard for me to read this book. I never had the patience to hold to sieges. And this book is about a long siege. A siege that could be avoided if... well, you have to read to understand, of course. A lot of things could be avoided in this book if the right people had the guts for it. But they didn't, so a siege went under way. Once more Dan takes us so inside some characters humanity that we anger, cry and laugh with them. And when certain things happen, one gets revolted. Meeting another commissar, the oh-so-typical-commissar, got specially on my nerves. I found the book very well written, like the others, but the theme got me bored in the middle of the book. Only the perspective of a very warhammerish final, that usually goes against the odds, kept me reading. And I was not dissapointed with the end, and justice was made. What a rare sentence, to say in warhammer, justice was made, but truth have been told. What saved this book for me was the short story that ends the book 'In remembrance'.

'In remembrance'

We go back to 'Necropolis'. This time, by the eyes of a sculptor who had a very special commission. A aftermath tale, from a non-combatant character point of view was a fresh air. And the way he walks around, capturing the essence of the Tanith first-and-only, makes all 'Necropolis' worth reading.

In a overall, I know there are people that compare the Dan Abnett series of Gaunts with Sharp series. I'm not a fan of Sharp or its author, so I can't tell if they are close enough, but I can say I felt the battles pretty close. I felt like reading tales of 1 or 2 world war. And for someone that doesn't appreciate the usual war tales, Dan makes of me a happy reader for the humanity of his characters.

It was a friend who introduced me to the whole 40K universe several years ago, and I started slow. The first novel I ever read from the Black Library was the very first Ciaphas Cain novel by Sandy Mitchell, needless to say the good Commissar has a special place in my heart to this day. The second book I read was, ok two books, were the two Gothic War books by Gordon Remmie: loved them, sad the series was never finished. However, as much as I still love those old classics, and as much as I now loIt was a friend who introduced me to the whole 40K universe several years ago, and I started slow. The first novel I ever read from the Black Library was the very first Ciaphas Cain novel by Sandy Mitchell, needless to say the good Commissar has a special place in my heart to this day. The second book I read was, ok two books, were the two Gothic War books by Gordon Remmie: loved them, sad the series was never finished. However, as much as I still love those old classics, and as much as I now love the Horus Heresy and many, many others, I have to say the hands down best (though many are extremely close) is still Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghost's series. I have read the first three books several times, though oddly I never finished the series. (I own the other two omnibuses as well as the MMPB's of the rest of the series, including the Sabbat Worlds shorts collection.) I decided recently, since I am currently binging on 40K fiction, to go ahead and revisit the Ghost's and this time tag along for the whole series. I made a great decision.The level of detail is astounding in these books, and not just the shooty death kill. Abnett understands people, the level of detail he brings to each individuals backstory and the way you care about them, even the snide, arrogant bastards of the Volpone Bluebloods, is proof positive that the Black Library is truly blessed with an author of his caliber and that tie in fiction never gets the honor's it is due by critics. The first book: 'The Founding' sets the dramatic tone for the whole series. A regiment of the Imperial Guard whose world was destroyed by Chaos on the day of their founding as a regiment. Commissar Ibram Gaunt, a Colonel leading the regiment and not just the political officer, makes the snap decision to rescue as many as he can and flee the dying world. This makes him many enemies amongst the very people he just saved, and yet, eventually, they come to love him.'Ghostmaker' is the second book and is a series of vignettes dealing with each individual character or pairing. I loved this book, reading it for the third time was even more rewarding then the first. Like I said, the level of detail of what makes Mad Larkin mad, or why Rawne hates Gaunt so much or why Corbec is the loveable, yet very badass, Major that he is, is all revealed wonderfully in this book. And Dan Abnett did something that most would never think possible in a media tie in tale let alone military science fiction: he made me feel. In 'Ghostmaker' there was a section dealing with the medic, Doc Dorden and Colm Corbec that really touched me. I won't reveal what it was but it more than made me smile, I actually had to stop and think for a few minutes, it was that powerful to me. Another scene, close by, revolves around finding out that the current world their under siege on was a world colonized by former Guardsmen who had won the world and been given it as a gift for their service upon retirement: the dream of all the Ghost's. The way in which it was told was very emotional and one of the best scenes in the whole omnibus. The final book: 'Necropolis' is a hell of a great read. Filled with far more action than the rest, it still manages to tell a good story full of real emotion: the Ghost's watch a poor city, under seige, be blasted to pieces bit by bit by an advancing Chaos cultist army and they feel for the sadness and misery the people are feeling. The Ghost's too know what it is to lose their world in the fires of war, and it makes them fight even harder to give these strangers a chance at starting a new life afterwards. Overall I loved this omnibus, and I am starting the others too. If I had to recommend only one book to a seeker of 40K fiction, I would hand them this omnibus and tell them to simply enjoy and welcome to the family. ...more

Ibram Gaunt already was a rare man and then before Warmaster Slaydo died he made Gaunt the only colonel and commissar. Then he goes to gather his brand new troops. On the day of the founding of their regiments the planet is destroyed and only a fraction of the men make it off the planet.

First and Only: It was after I read this one and the second that I found out that the second was partially short stories originally published else where, merged into a novel. There is a bit of jumping around butIbram Gaunt already was a rare man and then before Warmaster Slaydo died he made Gaunt the only colonel and commissar. Then he goes to gather his brand new troops. On the day of the founding of their regiments the planet is destroyed and only a fraction of the men make it off the planet.

First and Only: It was after I read this one and the second that I found out that the second was partially short stories originally published else where, merged into a novel. There is a bit of jumping around but in some ways it allows you to get a broad view of the group very quickly. This was the first original novel published by the black library. You can make certain guesses about who will live and die but Abnett will surprise you. Sometimes they will live when you least expect it, other times you think someone is going to live and they die quickly and harshly. These men face corruption and harsh prejudice but keep fighting the good fight. Even those who resent Gaunt follow him.Ghostmaker: The bonds between the ghosts are being forged. It has been some time since the fall of Tanith but it is still fresh in the hearts of the men. The narrative structure here is easier to follow than the first book. The main action takes place on Monthax, an unpleasant planet. In the beginning Monthax is slow and the action there alternates with short stories about various men in the unit. Each provides good character and group dynamic insight.

Necropolis: They think this is a hive war on Verghast. The fight for the city of Vervunhive but there is more going on here then trade conflict. This novel stays much more in the present. We see some familiar faces of those we have fought beside in previous books, but there are also new faces. The residents of this place have more in common with the Tanith than anyone expects. Gaunt has the chance to take a true leadership position, but in the end he is a man that fights beside his troops. It amazes me how Abnett can make me upset at the death of someone I wanted to die the whole book.

In Remembrance: This short story takes place near the end of Necropolis and looks at the aftermath of the combat. We get to see the Tanith first from the perspective of an outsider, an artist of all things. He expresses his inability to capture their unique character.

I expected that these books would be intense, that they would have times when they are very hard to put down. I never expected that there would be times when I would bust out laughing until my sides hurt. I never expected that I would want to mentally hug these muddy hard pressed soldiers. That I would want to cheer and despair. That I would cringe and physically react to the graphic descriptions. That I would be unable to resist reading segments aloud.

This is the first omnibus in the Gaunt's Ghosts series of the Warhammer 40,000 universe....more

Oh, Dan Abnett... You amuse me so with your endless list of soon-to-die red-shirt Guardsmen and constant head explosions.

So: The Founding. I read this back in the day, several years ago, when I was beginning to be somewhat remotely interested in the Warhammer 40k universe. I needed background and plot seed fodder for my newly-minted Dark Heresy roleplaying group and I thought, "Hey, why not? It's a collection of novels about some Imperial Guard, who I'm not really all that interested in, becausOh, Dan Abnett... You amuse me so with your endless list of soon-to-die red-shirt Guardsmen and constant head explosions.

So: The Founding. I read this back in the day, several years ago, when I was beginning to be somewhat remotely interested in the Warhammer 40k universe. I needed background and plot seed fodder for my newly-minted Dark Heresy roleplaying group and I thought, "Hey, why not? It's a collection of novels about some Imperial Guard, who I'm not really all that interested in, because, quite frankly, the human aspect of 40k bores me a bit. GRIMDARRRRRK.".

Feth, was I hooked. Like, within the first few chapters. On the cover of the omnibus, a snippet is quoted: "'He makes war so real that you want to duck!' - Sci-Fi.com". Well, that is certainly the case.

Now, I was never really into sci-fi as a genre. I mean, I'd read some bits and pieces, like the amazing Ender's Game, but I'd never really experienced military science-fiction to this degree. I'm glad I did, and do, as this is my second read-through, and definitely worthwhile. The Gaunt's Ghosts books opened up a huge love and appreciation of science-fiction, especially to military sci-fi and gritty, pulp-y writing. Mmm.

I'm not quite sure which novel I like the best. I'm torn between the second and third novels of the omnibus, which are vastly different. I like the building of background of primary characters within the Tanith First-and-Only which is presented in the second book, but I loved the gritty action of the third. Suprisingly, I found myself more interested in Abnett's humans than the non-stop lasgun slinging and tank bursting craziness. I mean, these are characters at war. They're frail. They fight demons and superhumans and get blown to shit by the occasional mortar. But they're so... uniquely human, and central to the stories, even if at times they are extremely cliche. I get excited when I read about "Mad" Larkin and his visions, I devour sections that involve the work of Dorden, the old field medic.

These books were fun, plain and simple. I'm not much for re-reading huge tomes like these, but it was well worth it. The Imperial Guard now interest me more than any other facet of the Imperium of Man, and I certainly walked away with enough roleplaying ideas. Yippee!...more

These works are military SF. Bad things happen in them. Good characters get killed. But they have very dramatic plots, and many vividly drawn characters. Filled with honor and friendship and valor. Ibram Gaunt is a deeply developed character, and at any time, a dozen or so Ghosts are major characters. He does a massively multi-POV that lets in him get in a large scope of the battles they are in.

(One trick he has is to develop a character in a short scene. Sometimes thisAn omnibus of military SF.

These works are military SF. Bad things happen in them. Good characters get killed. But they have very dramatic plots, and many vividly drawn characters. Filled with honor and friendship and valor. Ibram Gaunt is a deeply developed character, and at any time, a dozen or so Ghosts are major characters. He does a massively multi-POV that lets in him get in a large scope of the battles they are in.

(One trick he has is to develop a character in a short scene. Sometimes this is to make you feel the death. Sometimes this indicates that a formerly minor character will be appearing front and center.)

First And Only is not, in fact, the start of the regiment. It covers enough to let you know, and it tells a great deal about Ibram Gaunt's past. Unlike the rest, it is told with flashbacks. In fact, a lot of flashbacks. It ends on a flashback, which is the perfect note.

Ghostmaker is a fixup. Well, not entirely, but parts of it are. Less of a plot than First And Only or the succeeding novels. Then, you get wonderfully sharp images and descriptions of actions and character, compacting in small sections. It suffers a little because a rivalry with another, aristocratic regiment is central to the plot, and there was a similar rivalry in First And Only -- but not much.

With Necropolis, we have the first novel that starts with their deployment and traces through their involvement in the conflict. Introducing new characters from the world, and starting arcs; this is the style for all the rest, and it works well in all of them. (He carefully varies the actual conflicts they are involved in.) Some arcs started in the first two, but this is where things really get going. While NecropolisI does end the first omnibus, it starts some rabbits that run through the next one....more

The purpose of this book is to entertain 40k fans and to help inform new comers to the game and people who want to know more about the imperial guard it defiantly segseads at entertaining both groups of people and inform them but can be confusing sometimes so i give it a 7 out of 8

the theme of the book is well its science fiction so its probably not relevant to people that are not fans of the game but its vary clearly explained in the book and stays the same threw the book and still its not a lThe purpose of this book is to entertain 40k fans and to help inform new comers to the game and people who want to know more about the imperial guard it defiantly segseads at entertaining both groups of people and inform them but can be confusing sometimes so i give it a 7 out of 8

the theme of the book is well its science fiction so its probably not relevant to people that are not fans of the game but its vary clearly explained in the book and stays the same threw the book and still its not a life lesson but its for the emperor

the style of the novel is vary graphic and unpredictable main characters will get killed off all the time sometimes they will introduce a new characters and explain there back story and everything but then kill them off 20 pages latter allot of people don't like that but i really did i hate when books of movies are to scared to kill off main characters it makes it really predictable and dull this book kept me guessing all the way threw to the vary end you never know if thew will win of lose it also has hints of Gothic under tones sense it deals with the imperial guard i really like its style so 8 out of 8

this style is vary effective in this type of book with the fast pace battles and interesting characters made even more diverse by the Gothic under tones is a good fit for this book the unpredictable nature is good to 8 out of 8

this is based on a fictional story line so this is not relevant it is not a book like to kill a mocking bird

all in all i enjoyed this book a lot and it gets a 5 out of 5 from me i just wish it was longer ...more

Gaunt's Ghost's by Dan Abnett is a thrilling book about how one colonel strives to prove himself to the men he is commanding. In the 40th millenium, Colonol Gaunt is issued to command a regiment on the planet of Tanith. A few days after meeting with the tanith 1st (his future regiment) the planet is attacked by the followers of Chaos. Gaunt is them given an uiltimatum:let his regiment fight and die for their home world or rescue the remnants of them and leave the planet to its doom. Gaunt decideGaunt's Ghost's by Dan Abnett is a thrilling book about how one colonel strives to prove himself to the men he is commanding. In the 40th millenium, Colonol Gaunt is issued to command a regiment on the planet of Tanith. A few days after meeting with the tanith 1st (his future regiment) the planet is attacked by the followers of Chaos. Gaunt is them given an uiltimatum:let his regiment fight and die for their home world or rescue the remnants of them and leave the planet to its doom. Gaunt decides to save the regiment, but in doing so becomes hated by almost all his men, having denied them the fight for their homeworld. Now in the heat of battle, Gaunt must find a way to earn the trust and respect of his men before they all turn on him. This book contains the first three books in the Gaunt's Ghosts series, and they are easily some of the best books I've ever read. There was never a time when i wanted to put the book down because the book was so well written. There was a perfect blend of action, comedy, mystery, and even a little romance, but nothing was too overwhelming. The settings in the book were very creative and were described in such a way that i could easily picture them in my head. Colonol Gaunt, the main character, was well put together and a charcter I fairly liked because he isn't like most heroes in action books. There are times when he questions his own desicitons and even feels uncertain at times. He acts like a human being instead of the "perfect hero" and thats why i liked him. The minor caracters were also great and each of them were memorable. Overall, this is a wonderfull book and should be read by any young adult. ...more

'The Founding' is a mixed bag, but not in a bad way. It includes three books: First and Only, Ghostmaker and Necropolis, as well as a short story. Through it, not only do we see the evolution of an expansive cast of characters, but also a mythos which resounds within the 40K universe; the founding of the Tanith 1st regiment (Gaunt's Ghosts). It takes a while for Abnett to get into a rhythm and find a style to stick to, but when he does...

If I set my Warhammer 40K fanboy heart aside, 'The Foundin'The Founding' is a mixed bag, but not in a bad way. It includes three books: First and Only, Ghostmaker and Necropolis, as well as a short story. Through it, not only do we see the evolution of an expansive cast of characters, but also a mythos which resounds within the 40K universe; the founding of the Tanith 1st regiment (Gaunt's Ghosts). It takes a while for Abnett to get into a rhythm and find a style to stick to, but when he does...

If I set my Warhammer 40K fanboy heart aside, 'The Founding' is a very good war book. The character development is deep, to the point where you know their motivations so well you almost become one of them. The plot is mostly linear but not really predictable, thanks to the nature of the enemy. The story arc begins with an exploration of life and combat in various theatres of war (some recognisable and some alien), but soon becomes much more than that. The technology and tactics are an intoxicating mix of both the futuristic and the antiquated. It has a very gritty and dark feeling to it, punctuated by moments of great human heroism.

If I then put my 40K hat on, it puts everything into this simple context: war without end. Knowing that these characters will never see the end of war, they will never know peace, or return home, makes everything they do both heart breaking and uplifting. ‘The Founding’ is a compelling read. It sets the scene for an epic saga that plumbs the depths of war’s horror, as well as the well-spring of human resilience....more

So, a friend of mine recommended I read the Gaunt's Ghosts series many years ago and I think I read one. I liked it. Fluffy read. Good times. I stumbled across the omnibuses that collect all fourteen or so and thought, "I've got a new baby. I'll be reading a lot. Why not waste it on sci-fi fluff like this?"I. Was. Blown. Away.I've talked to others about this series now and they say it takes Mr. Abnett a little while to get rolling. I don't know d#$k about the Warhammer 40000 universe and I was uSo, a friend of mine recommended I read the Gaunt's Ghosts series many years ago and I think I read one. I liked it. Fluffy read. Good times. I stumbled across the omnibuses that collect all fourteen or so and thought, "I've got a new baby. I'll be reading a lot. Why not waste it on sci-fi fluff like this?"I. Was. Blown. Away.I've talked to others about this series now and they say it takes Mr. Abnett a little while to get rolling. I don't know d#$k about the Warhammer 40000 universe and I was utterly drawn in. It's like reading war fiction but there are lasers involved. It's the reason I loved the new Battlestar Galactica so much. It's a drama that has a sci-fi setting. I don't think I've ever cared about characters as much as I care about some of these guys. OK maybe I liked Salvatore's fantasy characters more. And who didn't cry when Flint died in the Dragonlance books. But still. These characters are right up there. They're not as fluffy. They don't want you to like them. They want you to get their backs or get the f#$k out of the way. I can't wait to get further along. Another thing I like is Mr. Abnett's changing story style. Some authors write at characters from one direction their entire career. I get a Salvatore book and I know basically how it's going to go. The last book in this omnibus took a quarter of the book to even get to the Ghosts. And then they were rolling in to help a besieged city-state.Good stuff. Damn good stuff! ...more

The Gaunt's Ghosts novels are fun, gritty, and compelling military sci-fi. The Warhammer 40k setting is an interesting one, and Abnett uses it to fair advantage, exploring different worlds, cultures, and races. One of the things that I most enjoyed about these books is that the heroes are, for the most part, men of character. Gaunt and his Ghosts may be hard edged, but they are honorable and just. Gaunt especially is a solider of heroic stature, fighting to be a virtuous man in a dark and troublThe Gaunt's Ghosts novels are fun, gritty, and compelling military sci-fi. The Warhammer 40k setting is an interesting one, and Abnett uses it to fair advantage, exploring different worlds, cultures, and races. One of the things that I most enjoyed about these books is that the heroes are, for the most part, men of character. Gaunt and his Ghosts may be hard edged, but they are honorable and just. Gaunt especially is a solider of heroic stature, fighting to be a virtuous man in a dark and troubled universe. Even serving in a corrupt and vicious service, he strives to maintain his humanity in surroundings that defy man's better nature.

The stories are action-packed, full of twists and turns, and the tactics and tone of the conflicts ring true and believable. The action itself is well-drawn, fast-paced, vicious at times, and a touch more gory than is my taste, but never dull.

The stories aren't perfect, and I'd say the first book shows Abnett still learning his craft, but on the whole they are of good quality. There are rough spots, and the immediate and seemingly baseless conflicts between some of the different Guard units seem a bit much at times. All-in-all, this is a very engaging series, and certainly worth a read if you enjoy your military science fiction on the fantastic side of the spectrum....more

A real favourite of mine. As you would expect for a Warhammer 40,000 novel, Grimdark is an apt descriptive. But I flat-out read this entire omnibus in three days (arbitrarily rereading chapters on occasion) and I have to say - Dan Abnett is one of my favourite science fiction writers.This omnibus is many things. Inspiring, sickening, horrific, funny and in some places even saddening - if you think George R.R. Martin kills people off whimsically I can not tell you the amount of times I have becomA real favourite of mine. As you would expect for a Warhammer 40,000 novel, Grimdark is an apt descriptive. But I flat-out read this entire omnibus in three days (arbitrarily rereading chapters on occasion) and I have to say - Dan Abnett is one of my favourite science fiction writers.This omnibus is many things. Inspiring, sickening, horrific, funny and in some places even saddening - if you think George R.R. Martin kills people off whimsically I can not tell you the amount of times I have become emotionally attached to characters only to have them ripped from me in the following chapter... or book... ABNEEEETTTT! As you can imagine, for a set of stories constituted entirely of fighting losing battles in a hopeless war it is a very grim setting. There will not be a happy ending for anyone you like in this series (except maybe Master-Sniper Hlaine 'Mad' Larkin - at least I like to hope so). But even so, reading this omnibus was like riding the proverbial roller coaster - you occasionally feel sick to your stomach and yet you keep wanting more.

Or so they say, I don't like roller coasters... but I DO like this book. Go read it if you like war-torn science fiction! Or even if you don't. I love this omnibus. I also love the second omnibus. I love the series so far. Just go read it....more

This is in no way an official review, but I had to say something about this book after reading it. If you are into sci-fi and haven't read anything by Dan Abnett, first repent of your sins, then pick up anything he's written and read it. It's that simple. I don't say that about many authors, but Abnett stands out from the rest in my opinion.

As for First and Only, book one of many Gaunt's Ghosts novels, was great. I've read many different perspectives from the Warhammer 40k series, varying fromThis is in no way an official review, but I had to say something about this book after reading it. If you are into sci-fi and haven't read anything by Dan Abnett, first repent of your sins, then pick up anything he's written and read it. It's that simple. I don't say that about many authors, but Abnett stands out from the rest in my opinion.

As for First and Only, book one of many Gaunt's Ghosts novels, was great. I've read many different perspectives from the Warhammer 40k series, varying from Titan battles, Inquisitor investigations and of course the mass of violence that are the Space Marines. Although, until now I had never really read anything about the Imperial Guard, the simple light infantry.

The action is intense, it's heavy and it's split second in nature. There is no fanfare for a hero falling in battle. The scene doesn't go into slow-motion as the good guys are perforated with bullets. People are simply lost and that is one of the many aspects of Abnett's writing that makes this book and all of Warhammer so immersing.

Overall, great characters, action, the plot was well rounded and in the end there was enough closure to leave you satisfied, yet still wanting to continue in the series. ...more

The Warhammer 40k books have become something of a guilty pleasure (or, in the case of the James Swallows and Graham McNeil, just guilt), and this is basically the Sharpe books, but in space. Dan Abnett is a very entertaining writer, and his background in comics really tells; his visual descriptions are superb and bursting with imagination. The very silly and extremely crazy Warhammer universe is a real playground for a writer like Abnett, who knows that the background is silly and a bit stupidThe Warhammer 40k books have become something of a guilty pleasure (or, in the case of the James Swallows and Graham McNeil, just guilt), and this is basically the Sharpe books, but in space. Dan Abnett is a very entertaining writer, and his background in comics really tells; his visual descriptions are superb and bursting with imagination. The very silly and extremely crazy Warhammer universe is a real playground for a writer like Abnett, who knows that the background is silly and a bit stupid - kind of like Twilight for guys, with a lot of added guns - but also a lot of fun and can be a superb setting if you know what you're doing. Despite the background, Abnett delivers characters that are actually believable and sympathetic, and some excellent action scenes and brutal WW1-like depictions of war as being completely unglamorous and truly hellish, but still a lot of fun to witness as a reader. Abnett injects some much-needed humanity into the setting, which in the hands of some of the other regular writers regular decends into doomy doom of doom-dark self-parody, and I'll definitely be picking the next volume up when I need some light popcorn-reading. ...more

I received the whole collection of Gaunt's Ghost from a friend of mine. I got started on them once i received it since i was already impressed by Dan Abnett's book thanks to Eisenhorn and Damnation Crusade. This book is about the founding the the First-and-only Tanith led by colonel-commissar Ibram Gaunt.

It was really fun to read about how the First-and-only Tanith manage to struggle though various warzones fighting against their archenemies while also managing their regimental rivalries with oI received the whole collection of Gaunt's Ghost from a friend of mine. I got started on them once i received it since i was already impressed by Dan Abnett's book thanks to Eisenhorn and Damnation Crusade. This book is about the founding the the First-and-only Tanith led by colonel-commissar Ibram Gaunt.

It was really fun to read about how the First-and-only Tanith manage to struggle though various warzones fighting against their archenemies while also managing their regimental rivalries with other regiments. Dan Abnett really paid alot of attention to a large number of characters and gave them ample history and traits, making them really well-built characters. Though in the initial part the influx of a large number of fresh characters was kinf od hard to absorb, by the time the reader is halfway through the book the reader would be able to roughly know who is who. The last story in the omnibus(Necropolis) was the best story in the whole omnibus. Following the battle against the archenemy from both a civilian and military point of view the story slowly converges into an epic battle that ended with a boost in the Tanith forces. A really good read for any warhammer40k fan....more

Excellent collection. This novel of the Imperial Guard collects the first three books of Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts series. If you are new to the Warhammer 40K universe, this is a good place start although you are thrown headlong into the mix without alot of exposition to the setting. Abnett does an excellent job developing the Tanith First and Only over the course of the series and by the end of these three books you will be looking for the next Omnibus (The Saint).

The Good: Great story arc, IExcellent collection. This novel of the Imperial Guard collects the first three books of Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts series. If you are new to the Warhammer 40K universe, this is a good place start although you are thrown headlong into the mix without alot of exposition to the setting. Abnett does an excellent job developing the Tanith First and Only over the course of the series and by the end of these three books you will be looking for the next Omnibus (The Saint).

The Good: Great story arc, Immersive combat scenes, interesting characters, your favorite character may get killed.

The Bad: Line soldiers (grunts) seem to be a little overpowered (for the WH40K universe), and your favorite character may get killed.

Highly recommended for military SF fans and SF fans in general. I have recommended this book to individuals not familiar with the WH40K universe and all have been impressed and are looking forward to reading the rest of the series....more

The Founding by Dan Abnett collects the first three novels of the Gaunt's Ghost series First and Only, Ghostmaker and Necropolis into this omnibus. If you are new to the Warhammer 40,000 world, this is a great starting point. Gritty, hard-edged, the stories are told from the infantryman's perspective. Humanity is under constant threat from the alien, the mutant, the heretic, and above all else, chaos. The Ghosts are among the countless billions serving as the Emperor's hammer in a universe inimiThe Founding by Dan Abnett collects the first three novels of the Gaunt's Ghost series First and Only, Ghostmaker and Necropolis into this omnibus. If you are new to the Warhammer 40,000 world, this is a great starting point. Gritty, hard-edged, the stories are told from the infantryman's perspective. Humanity is under constant threat from the alien, the mutant, the heretic, and above all else, chaos. The Ghosts are among the countless billions serving as the Emperor's hammer in a universe inimical to mankind. Large-scale action, intrigue and treachery, this book will be difficult to put down once started....more

Growing up playing 40k on the tabletop this series was one of the first to surface and although I never read it at the time, it's been one I've always wanted to get to. And I'm glad I did. It's no wonder why this is one of the most printed 40k books of all time. It's well written and the characters are well fleshed out, literally.

My only criticism is that this book is starting to feel a bit dated, but considering this was first published in 2007 that's not a big dealA great read from Dan Abnet.

Growing up playing 40k on the tabletop this series was one of the first to surface and although I never read it at the time, it's been one I've always wanted to get to. And I'm glad I did. It's no wonder why this is one of the most printed 40k books of all time. It's well written and the characters are well fleshed out, literally.

My only criticism is that this book is starting to feel a bit dated, but considering this was first published in 2007 that's not a big deal.

I would recommend this as a must have in any 40k fans collection. It's where it started. ✌✌...more